Metrics

At its core, NPScape delivers a suite of metrics that are considered integral to understanding natural resource conservation in a landscape context. Current NPScape metrics fall into seven major measure categories (human population, housing, roads, land cover, pattern, climate, and conservation status) that broadly address the human drivers, natural systems, and conservation context of national parks and other neighboring lands. NPScape metrics are summarized in the table below, along with the year, spatial resolution, and geographic coverage of the GIS Data. See NPScape Methods for important details concerning metric calculations, including source data and areas of analysis.

Geographic Coverage*

Measure

Metric

Years

Resolution

AK

CONUS

PAC

CARR

MEX

CAN

Population

Current: total and density

1990, 2000, 2010

Census Block Groups

X

X

X

X

Historic: total and density

1790-1990, by decade

County

X

Projected: total and density

2010-2050 (varies), by decade

County

X

X

X

Housing

Housing density

1970-2100, by decade

100m cells

X

Roads

Roads density

Varies, up to 2010

Varies

X

X

X

X

X

Distance from roads

Varies, up to 2010

Varies

X

X

X

X

X

Area without roads

Varies, up to 2010

Varies

X

X

X

X

X

Landcover

Natural vs Converted

2001, 2005, 2006, 2011

30m, 250m cells

X

X

X

X

X

Anderson Level I, II

2001, 2005, 2006, 2011

30m, 250m cells

X

X

X

X

X

Impervious Surface

2006, 2011

30m cells

X

X

Pattern

Patch size

2005, 2006, 2011

30m, 250m cells

X

X

X

X

Morphology

2005, 2006, 2011

30m, 250m cells

X

X

X

X

Area density

2005, 2006, 2011

30m, 250m cells

X

X

X

X

Climate

Mean

Varies, 1895-present (day, month)

Varies, ~770m to 17km cells

X

X

X

X

X

X

Mean water year

Varies, 1895-present (day, month)

Varies, ~770m to 17km cells

X

X

X

X

X

X

Percentile

Varies, 1895-present (day, month)

Varies, ~770m to 17km cells

X

X

X

X

X

X

Zonal statistics

Varies, 1895-present (day, month)

Varies, ~770m to 17km cells

X

X

X

X

X

X

Conservation Status

Area protected

Varies

Varies

X

X

X

X

X

X

Ownership

Varies

Varies

X

X

X

X

X

X

*AK is Alaska; CONUS is the Lower 48 states; PAC is Pacific Islands (Hawaii, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa); CARR is Carribean (Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands); MEX is Mexico; CAN is Canada.